


The Next One

by ScarletPhantom1704



Series: Scarlet Vision One-Shots [5]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Between CA:CW and IW, F/M, SVAD2018, just now getting to it, meant to post a few months back
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-29
Updated: 2019-04-29
Packaged: 2020-02-09 14:37:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18640120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarletPhantom1704/pseuds/ScarletPhantom1704
Summary: A peaceful walk in a beautiful garden brings forth a petty argument that both Vision and Wanda must overcome together.





	The Next One

**Author's Note:**

> Here is my contribution to the Scarlet Vision Appreciation Day 2018 event. I hope you enjoy it and I would love to receive some feedback! Also there is a singular curse word, so of that bothers you, I apologize.

“Greece really is beautiful.” Wanda states.

A cool autumn breeze brushes against her pink-tinged cheeks and her lips that are pulled into a gentle, content smile.

The brilliant sun casts midday shadows onto the pavement, the inky figures mimicking the couple’s movements. A copper leaf flutters from a nearby tree into Wanda’s newly dyed hair; this week it was an ebony black adorned with a simple scarlet headband.

Gentle fingers brush the leaf out of her hair, lingering on her face for a few seconds. Wanda turns her head to meet the blue eyes of another, his blonde hair ruffling in the wind. She squeezes his hand encased in hers as she licks her chapped lips.

“Not as beautiful as you and your new hair. It compliments your gorgeous eyes.” Vision says, a subtle blush dancing across the face of his disguise. He raises their interlaced hands and presses a kiss to the back of her hand.

“You say that every time I change my hair.” Vision smiles as she laughs, her nose crinkling in amusement.

“Well, I mean, you do look nice in every hair color.” Wanda nudges his shoulder playfully with her own as if telling him to stop. A blush of pink sweeps across her face, blending with her already tinged cheeks.

A loud crash echoes from behind the couple, causing them to spin around quickly. Paranoia creeps up Wanda’s spine, causing her to grasp her lover’s hand tighter. She releases a breath she didn’t know she was holding when she sees that it was only a pedestrian knocking over a bicycle. The looming thought of the United States government hunting her like a wild animal still hangs in the air as Wanda feels Vision lightly lead her forwards.

“Don’t worry Wanda.” Vision reassures with a smile. “It was just a tourist.”

Wanda nods, a muscle in her jaw jumping as anxiety claws its way through her. Her disguise was inconspicuous, right? Dark sunglasses, tourist-y clothing, a new hair color. She didn’t look anything like she did when they had her locked up.

“You’re safe. I promise you. I won’t let them take you again.” Vision says, pressing a kiss to her hand again. Wanda takes a deep breath, eyes fluttering shut for a split second before she emerges with a smile, albeit only to mask her fear. “Besides, it’s a special occasion.”

Wanda looks up at him with a now genuine grin, pearly teeth flashing in the midday sun. Anxiety eases from her as the two chatter softly back and forth until something catches Wanda’s attention.

“Look at this gorgeous statue Vizh,” Wanda says, dragging Vision over to the weathered Aphrodite statue perched on a granite pedestal. Deep red vines crawl up the sides of the pedestal, the contrast between the red and light grey striking to the artistic eye. A silver metallic plague with deep engraved Greek words rests in front of the statue.

“Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of beauty and love. The vines surrounding the statue help represent the connection that two lovers have with one another and they represent the beauty that flows through every living thing.

“In the autumn, these particular vines wither into beautiful tendrils. The color is commonly referred to the red hue scarlet but the Latins adopted the ancient Greek word ξηραμπέλινος (meaning ‘dried vine’) to reference the color of the withering vines.” Wanda listens as his British voice carefully translates the Greek writing, stumbling occasionally on a difficult word.

Wanda removes her dark sunglasses as her gaze falls on the vines Vision speaks of. Her fingertips brush over the blood-red leaves, one occasionally falling off into the dying grass. She then, with a quick look to make sure no one was watching, allows her scarlet powers to thread between her fingertips and caress the vines. The color of both her powers and the vines are identical.

“Vizh, look. The colors.” She says, beckoning him over to look at their resemblance. He rests a hand on her waist, coming up from behind her and looking over her shoulder.

“Identical. How coincidental as seeing as the public has dubbed you as the Scarlet Witch.” Wanda turns her head to meet his eyes with a smile. She was unsure of the name at first but it is growing on her. He returns the grin before continuing. “Your powers really are magnificent and beautiful, just like the vines. You know that don’t you?”

“They are more dangerous than beautiful,” Wanda says as she turns, her powers dissipating into thin air. A deep frown is plastered onto her pale face. “My powers have hurt people before, killed people in fact. I don’t think that things that kill deserve to be viewed as beautiful.”

“Why?” Vision questions, stepping back to look Wanda straight in the eyes. “Things that cause destruction can be beautiful as well, can they not? Think of a -” Vision pauses, thinking.

“See, you can’t think of-”

“- a wildfire. Yes, up close, it is very dangerous. It rips through a forest and it destroys the life there. But if you take a step back and view it from afar, it really is beautiful and captivating. And sometimes that destruction, that devastation, can be beneficial. For example: the flames of a wildfire are helpful to certain trees. The fires burn off the brush and allow the trees to grow.” Vision concludes, taking Wanda’s hands in his own. “Yes, Wanda, something dangerous can be beautiful.”

“But I killed people. I killed innocent people who were trying to make the world a better place.” Wanda removes her hands from Vision’s, balling them up and resting them at her side. She retains eye contact with Vision as if daring him to argue with her. Her voice hardens with frustration as she continues. “These powers are a curse, not a beauty. I don’t understand how you see them, how you see me, as something that I am not. I am nothing but a killer armed with a deadly, terrible weapon.”

“What happened in Lagos then doesn’t define who you are, Wanda. It was an accident and if you hadn’t used your powers then more people would be dead. You are not a killer. It isn’t your fau-”

“I am sick of people saying that! It isn’t your fault Wanda, you did everything you could, Wanda!” Wanda yells, eyes glaring scarlet. People eye the arguing couple uneasily, cautiously skirting around them. “It is my fault: my parents, Pietro, those 11 people in Lagos. Each one of their deaths is my fault! And yeah, maybe more people would be dead if I hadn’t done anything but it doesn’t matter. They had friends and families and ambitions and love. And I took all of that from them!”

“Wanda,” Vision simply says, pity and empathy laced in his voice. He grabs her shoulders gently trying to calm his angry girlfriend. She shrugs his hands off, glaring. People start to mumble and his eyes skirt around, watching as they start to draw attention.

“Don’t try to comfort me and don’t touch me. I don’t need your goddamn sympathy! You don’t feel sympathetic towards a killer, towards a villain. I wish you weren’t so arrogant and naive sometimes.” Wanda crosses her arms across her chest stubbornly. Her nostrils flare in frustration as she brings the petty argument to a conclusion, her voice lowered slightly.

“Just leave Vision. I can’t look at you right now.” Vision stares in disbelief, her words like a blow to the stomach. He opens his mouth to ask if he’d heard her correctly because it was so out of character but the second she turns away with a sharp intake of air, he just nods solemnly.

“As you wish. Goodbye, Wanda,” He hesitates before softly continuing. “I love you.”

With that, he turns and starts to walk to the nearest train station, many emotions overtaking his body: guilt, heartbreak, sorrow, confusion. What did he say?

~~~~~

It had been a few days since their argument and guilt had consumed Wanda ever since she saw the pained look on Vision’s face as she sent him off. Every evening since he left, she’s cried herself to sleep, clutching a pillow as if it could fill the empty void in her chest but it couldn’t. Nothing could. She hurt him out of her own unrequited anger. She called him naive and arrogant when in fact he is neither. She sent him off when all he wanted to do was comfort her, to tell her that she was perfect in his eyes even if she wasn’t in her own. And she blew it, she messed it up.

It was in the evening when Wanda receives a soft knock on her hotel door. Her limited belongings are packed into a small suitcase and Wanda’s train ticket is resting near the door. Tears slowly roll down her face as she pulls her black hair back in the mirror, the roots of her hair a vaguely different shade.

‘He should be here’ she tells herself: his gentle voice reassuring that they’d see each other again soon and his lips pressed to hers in a passionate kiss as they savor their last seconds with each other. But he wasn’t and it was all her fault.

The knock surprises her immensely; she wasn’t expecting any visitors. Wanda wipes the tears from her face quickly and briskly makes her way to the door. She clears her throat nonchalantly, ready to respond to her visitor in a feigned Scottish accent. She feels her powers prickle under her skin warily as she looks through the peephole.

What she sees causes the tears she’d just wiped away come back, spilling back onto her face. Wanda’s powers burst from her fingertips as it swings the door open. Vision stands there with a bouquet of flowers in his hands with a sad smile on his face. He stands outside of the door awkwardly, uncertain if he was welcomed.

“I came to apolo-” Vision gets cut off by Wanda arms wrapped around his neck, her face buried into the crook of his neck. Sobs attack her small frame. He drops the flowers to the ground, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer (if that was even possible) to his chest. He reaches up to run a comforting hand through her hair, his fingers getting tangled in her inky waves.

The two lovers stay embraced, holding one another until Wanda pulls back, arms still wrapped around Vision’s neck. A single tear runs down her right cheek as apologizes. Vision reaches up to wipe it away, his thumb resting on her cheek and then tracing down her jaw.

“I am so, so sorry Vizh. It is all my fault and I didn’t mean it when I said you were arrogant and naive. You did nothing and you have no reason to apologize,” Wanda apologizes, untangling herself slowly from Vision’s arms before walking back inside of her room, gesturing for Vision to follow. He follows after retrieving the flowers from the ground. She shuts the door with a flick of her free hand, scarlet powers glimmering.

As naturally as taking off shoes upon entering, Vision phases from his human disguise. Vision looks around the room that was void of its usual mess with bags packed sitting on the bed and a train ticket sitting on the small table.

“When do you leave?” He says, pulling her attention back to his pained expression. His face looks like that of a sad puppy.

“In an hour.” She says as Vision comes closer, brows furrowed sorrowfully. “It’ll only be a week until we can see each other though, not as long as last time.”

“I know but …” He trails off with a purse of his lips. Wanda takes his hands in hers, the contrast between red and pale skin striking. “A single hour, on our anniversary.”

“I know Vizh. I am so sorry.” She breathes, inching closer to him. “I am so sorry for ruining our week together.”

“It’s okay. But please, let us just leave the argument behind us. Okay?” Wanda nods in response, eyes flickering upwards to meet his. “We have an hour, that’s better than nothing, right?” Vision says with a smile, trying to clear the air of the negativity.

“What if we have 4 hours,” Wanda says suddenly, catching Vision off guard.

“But your train and won’t Steve be expecting you?” Vision stutters as she walks over and grabs her ticket, ripping it to shreds. The pieces fall to the ground, torn shards scattered about.

“I’ll catch the next one. There is another train at 1. And I’ll just tell Steve that I slept in a few minutes, missing the first train. Surely they can’t hold it against me for too long.” She says with a smirk. Vision laughs, the first genuine laugh he’s had since those tender moments before their argument in the garden.

“Time always seems to be our worst enemy.” Vision says, sitting down at the foot of the queen-sized bed. Wanda joins him resting a hand on his leg. He looks up to meet her eyes, her green orbs transfixed on his blue ones.

“Maybe, one day, it won’t,” Wanda says, leaning into him and pressing a kiss to his lips. Only 4 hours.


End file.
